May 07 2012

Euro Disney's losses hollow

Tag: Uncategorized, features, finance, opinions, technologyadmin @ 9:32 pm

 

Even at age 20, Mickey is still not profitable in France. While the festivities celebrating the 20th anniversary of Disneyland Paris are in full swing, the company operating the theme park never ceases to sink into the red. In the first half ended March 31, 2012, Euro Disney SCA posted a loss after minority interests of 100.8 million euros. Last year at this time, this loss amounted to 82.9 million euros.

The 2012 vintage, however, is not lost. It is now that he plays. "The group's business is seasonal and annual results depend significantly on the activity of the second half of the year, which is traditionally the busiest season for Disneyland Paris," says Euro Disney. Depending on the success of its summer season, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company still manages to erase a part of twelve months more or less consistently the deficit incurred in the first half. Still, in five years, ever the operator had also started the year badly.

However, against this outperformance is assumed. It is explained by a surge in costs, with nearly 20 million of additional operating costs of a semester to another. "We have significantly increased our investments," said Philippe Gas, President of Euro Disney, citing "the introduction of new products and offers entertainment and construction of improvements targeted in both parks and hotels."

Many efforts to mark the twentieth anniversary, Euro Disney sees as a great growth opportunity. "We expect a significant impact of these investments this year," says management. "We are already seeing encouraging signs for the second half with an increase in bookings in hotels," says Mark Stead to AFP, the Deputy Director General.

European ghost

This gamble is to counterbalance the gloom throughout Europe. In the first half, at least, attendance has plummeted by 1% to 6.8 million visitors. Italian, Dutch, Belgians, or Spaniards are rarer in the twirling teacups and ghost trains Marne-la-Vallee.

Meanwhile, Italians and Britons shunned hotels, who billed 33,000 fewer room nights compared to the first half of 2011. The operator has managed, however, to partially offset this drop in price increases, allowing boost of 43.24 to 44.11 euros average spending per visitor.

To fund these developments in lean period, Euro Disney had to draw 136 million in its treasury, which reached 230 million at end-March. If the situation worsened, the group has the right to postpone deadlines royalties or interest owed to Disney and other creditors.

Note also that, by dint of being planed by the losses, shareholders' equity went into the red at – 15.5 million euros. Danger? The group expects to be back above the waterline at the close of its fiscal year to September 30.  

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May 06 2012

Japan stops its last nuclear reactor

Tag: business, money, news, technology, worldadmin @ 6:24 am

 

From Sunday morning, Japan will be left without nuclear energy. The shutdown of the country's last active reactor actually began on Saturday, shattering the share of nuclear energy in electricity Japanese a little over a year after the disaster of Fukushima. A provisional release in principle. The last operating reactor, Tomari 1, on Hokkaido Island (north), farm inspection. The 54 reactors of the Archipelago, which provided nearly 30% of electricity needs of the country until March 11, 2011, thus find themselves at a standstill. The four reactors in Fukushima are destroyed, them finalized.

The Government intended to review its engines one by one and reboot – he wants – is a politically sensitive issue. This nuclear phase, anticipated for months, has enormous economic consequences not only for Japan but for the rest of the world.

In 2011, the trade balance of the third world economy went into the red for the first time in thirty-one years. Half of the degradation observed between 2010 and 2011 due to higher energy bills. Until January, Japan wiped especially the soaring price of oil and natural gas. But since the volume of gas imports are growing exponentially. For more than oil (which imports fell last year), more than coal is liquefied natural gas (which Japan is already the largest importer) which replaces the uranium to run power plants. For the ten power companies already tight financial situation, which share the country, this is a massive overhead. They are already preparing their users to jump to the invoice.

Concerns in Korea and Taiwan

The first of them, Tokyo Electric (Tepco, the operator of Fukushima), announced a 17% increase in tariffs for the industry and has requested another 10% for households. TEPCO had to accept its takeover by the state last week to survive. The operator of Kansai (western Japan), the second lung of industrial countries after the Tokyo area, he believes his side will not spend the summer with reactor shutdown cheapest personal loan rates. "Kansai Electric announced a cost of generation of 6 yen per kilowatt hour from nuclear. With natural gas, the cost increases to 9 yen. It is the user who will pay "this leap of 50%, warns Paul J. Scalise, specialist electricity sector in Japan.

The archipelago is so important a part of the world economic stage that their choices weigh on all. "The new gas demand in Japan has caused concern in Taiwan and South Korea in April 2011," says one foreign player in the gas market in Tokyo. Ever on the global gas market the differences were so great between Asian prices and U.S. prices, driven down by the boom in shale gas.

The ANA, which has joined the burgeoning renewable energy industry, believe that the release of their country's nuclear factodu is proof he can do without. The cost of the energy bill can not match that of the Fukushima disaster, priceless, they argue among their arguments. "False, says a nuclear framework: simulations of the costs of insurance against such a disaster Fukushima show that nuclear power is still profitable even in this case."

Before the disaster, Japan planned to increase the nuclear share to over 50% of electricity production in 2030. The government is preparing in principle for the summer, its new energy strategy for the long term. It should instead provide a reduction instead of the atom. In the immediate future, without it will prove costly for the Archipelago.

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Apr 24 2012

Purpose opens first store in Paris

Tag: economics, finance, international, publications, traveladmin @ 2:20 am

 

Purpose wants to be known among city dwellers. The chain will open its first home furnishings store in the capital during the week of May 7, on the prestigious Avenue Wagram (XVII), next to Roche Bobois. This is the second City goal, brand created two years ago to lead the offense group in major cities. The first of its kind since late 2010 is installed in the mall Domus Rosny-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis). A third is scheduled to open in late June in the mall Cap 3000 in Nice.

Covering an area of ​​between 1000 m2 and 1500 m2, the City Purpose are two to five times smaller than the stores Aim at the periphery of towns. The entire range of Purpose can not be presented. As Conforama, with its sign of downtown Confo Deco Goal has chosen to focus on the organization of living, bedrooms and kitchen. "Our products, all contemporary, are adapted to small spaces. They will be at very affordable prices, as the Parisians today lack a tender other than the high end, "said Berengaria Lamboley, marketing director of Purpose.

If the appliance will not be exposed in the shop of Wagram, customers will still buy coffee machines, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners via touch screens. Or through tablets which vendors will be equipped. Purpose The City of Wagram offer innovative services, such as animations to lunch fast payday loans. "We also deliver free in the evening between 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., in central Paris and the Hauts-de-Seine," says Regis Schultz, CEO of the group.

A third sign referred

Offensive Purpose does not stop there. Regis Schultz prepares to unveil, in July, a third store format, with a dedicated teaching. Located in the "middle rurban" (catchment areas from 30,000 to 40,000), these stores will be "Aim small, with a comprehensive range of approximately 1500 m2, and are for those who do not want to buy a 40 km washing machine, "explains Bérangère Lamboley. Eight stores of this type are planned this year. These openings will bring to 219 the total number of stores owned by the brand of furniture.

Goal is now the third French player, with a market share of 10.3% in 2011, still far behind Ikea (17.8%) and Conforama (14.5%). For sale by its owner Goldman Sachs, Colony Capital and OpCapita (former Merchant Equity Partners), the group like five French investment funds. Shareholders give hope to the sign for 450, or 500 million euros, valuing the company at about six times its Ebitda (80 million euros in 2011).

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Mar 30 2012

To a decline in sales of medicines

Tag: Uncategorized, business, economic, online, traveladmin @ 11:12 am

 

Bad news for laboratories and pharmacies. "In 2012, for the first time, the French market for reimbursable drugs sold in pharmacies will be in recession. After four years of stagnation, it will show a 2% drop in value, "Robert said Thursday Chu, president of research firm IMS Health France. A setback due in part to price cuts and delisting imposed by governments, but also to "a failure of innovation."

Other mature markets will not show very strong growth. By 2015, the pharmaceutical market will grow by +2% to +5% in Japan. It will gain +1% to +4% per year in the United States and other developed countries, IMS provides. "The other European markets are affected but the timing is different," explains Claude Le Pen, an economics professor at Paris-Dauphine and France consultant IMS Health no teletrek payday advance. In Germany, for example, the policy of price reduction was initiated before that of the Hexagon.

Profitability deteriorated

The expiry of patents that protect the original drugs is another factor, important for the retraction of the pharmaceutical market. The peak of these patent losses will be achieved in 2012 with $ 48 billion of revenue at risk of generic competition. In practice this means that four fifths of those sales (about $ 40 billion) will not occur. Generics, legal copies sold of 15% to 70% cheaper by country (55% in France), take place.


Mar 04 2012

An institutional ad for Cartier

Tag: Uncategorized, business, economic, special, traveladmin @ 3:12 am

 

Premiere in prime time. Sunday night on TF1, between the news of Claire Chazal and the film Asterix, the display advertising will be fully reserved for a movie three and a half minutes, signed Cartier. There is no question of a campaign for a classic perfume, a ring or a watch. The short film, called The Odyssey and devoid of any slogan, many references to the history of Cartier and its flagship products. Starting from the Grand Palais in Paris, a panther toured the world, gliding sleigh on the frozen Neva at the foot of the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, from the Chinese wall in the palace of a Maharajah India, jumping on the "14 bis" of the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, before returning to the Place Vendome. Two years of work were needed for this film, a budget of 4 million euros.

"No question of resting on its laurels"

Flagship of the South African group Richemont, the world number two luxury (Van Cleef, Piaget, Montblanc, Lancel, Dunhill …), Cartier the jeweler is certainly already the world's most popular and favorite luxury brand of the Chinese. But no question of resting on its laurels. "We always want to go further, do better, we stand out from other luxury brands and the desirability of maintaining the highest Cartier for eternity," says Bernard Fornas, CEO of the company, to justify the first institutional campaign this magnitude in the luxury sector. This will be deployed in 29 countries around the world.

"With this film, we wanted to strongly reaffirm the myth Cartier, make a mural that film foregrounds its history, its values ​​of creativity, elegance and refinement, his inspirations, his artistic dimension and universal, continues the boss payday loans in one hour. We want to show that this house is the opposite of fashion, fleeting. We are located on the side of the timeless. When they create, develop and manufacture, our teams are not even thinking. Our products are designed for life, not for a few seasons. "

History of jewelery

The Odyssey is an allegory of the history of Cartier. The muse of the film is a panther, icon of the jeweler since 1904, rather than a woman. The house designs are present on some shots, "but only in a subliminal way, says Bernard Fornas. The Odyssey is a way to reassert the French genius of Cartier style. We were the first to the Art Deco style we invented the Tutti Frutti and garlands. With 1300 pieces of Cartier private collection, one can tell the story of jewelery. "No question, of course, that this campaign replaces ads for classic perfumes, and jewelry Cartier rings. "This is an umbrella campaign on the brand, designed to create dreams," says Bernard Fornas. Cartier still spend 5 to 10% of its budget worldwide media buying with different versions of this film. The film will be released in the cinema, a 45-second version will follow on TV, and the Publicis agency will organize relay on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. One way to Cartier, instantly find global relay and multiply the effectiveness of traditional media campaign.

"We set the bar high for other luxury homes that would highlight their" legend ", if indeed they have one in," says Bernard Fornas.

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Oct 22 2011

Women's football boost the audience of Direct 8

Tag: features, money, publications, top news, traveladmin @ 9:52 pm

It's a funny for that women's football. Originally included in the most prestigious prizes for men and hopes, the TV rights specialists on women's football is becoming the subject of a separate market. Direct 8, the DTT channel created by the Bolloré Group and is currently being acquired by Canal +, made the nice observation. "In 2007, Yannick Bolloré has decided to change our schedule to that of a general channel, explains Thierry Cheleman, Director of Sports Direct 8. Implying sports programs. " Although too small to address the sporting rights of the men's national team, then put Direct 8 on the lower category. "At the time, the French Football Federation (FFF) launched a tender for the national championship and hopes, the director continues.This lot also included the TV rights of the Women's Team France until 2014, for which we are therefore committed to broadcast three games a year. "

Public expectations for the beautiful game

Bingo. More than blueberries (or hopes), the girls create the surprise sport in 2009 and 2010 during the qualifying matches in the Women's World Cup 2011. Helping performance, each game attracts between 300,000 and 400,000 viewers on TNT channel, reaching over 700,000 fans August 25, 2009, for the first prime-time (France / Serbia).

Rebelote in 2011. Building on this success for the Hearing, Direct 8 means in effect in 2010 with Eurosport, a subsidiary of TF1, the rights of the Women's World Cup 2011, acquired at the same time as the Men's World Cup 2010. Coproducts and codiffusés by both channels, games are a success hearings.Especially since the disappointment surrounding the men's team at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 frustrated football fans. "After the episode of Knysna, there was a latent expectation of the French for the beautiful game and a fighting team, Fabrice Lorvo analysis, a sports marketing specialist at FTPA. The public was ready to ignite their national team. The spark, it is the girls who brought them. "

To date, the semi-final France / USA Women's World Cup represents the historical record of the chain … and all channels TNT (2.43 million viewers, 17.4% audience share). Normally, the average audience of Direct 8 between 2 and 2.5% market share. Since then, the magic continues.Since the start of the qualifying matches for Euro 2013 Blue to seduce between 720,000 and 940,000 fans.

The appetite of the major broadcasters would raise prices

Given this popularity, the chain does not stop there, and is now attacking the European and national. "If a French club in 2012 reached the final of the Champions League Women, we might be candidates to UEFA to broadcast the match," said Thierry Cheleman. Last year, the epic European Lyonnaises, who had won the competition against Potsdam, had already resulted in an audience of 1.2 million viewers (4.9% market share), peaking 1.9 million. Meanwhile, the management of Direct 8 has made an offer to FFF for TV rights of the first women's division (D1) over the period 2012-2014.Insufficient supply, Eurosport and France Television has won the set in August.

It is the flip side: the structuring of the market for women's football TV rights could eventually crowd out smaller players. "For the TV rights are the subject of a market requires that the images are produced and disseminated. Two years ago, it was not the case for women's football. Direct 8 that produces the games itself, has allowed the emergence of women's football on television in the clear, "Fabrice Lorvo analysis. On average, the chain said spend between 40,000 and 50,000 euros per game. The emergence of such a market whets the appetites and proposals for new broadcasters.

For the giants of the sport are Eurosport and Canal + could well participate in the cost inflation of rights, if performance women are superior to those of men.Inflation that is already seeing Thierry Cheleman, even if they are about 100 times lower than those of men. From this point of view, the acquisition by the pay channel Direct 8 could be an asset, "even if it is too early to draw clear ambitions to Canal + for Direct 8 on women's football," he concludes .

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Oct 20 2011

Clothing sales fell 10% September

Tag: Uncategorized, economics, events, money, newsadmin @ 9:24 pm

Grisaille Economic ambient softness unusual temperatures have probably induced consumers for caution September. Including their clothing purchases. Consequence: France, sales textile clothing tumbled 10% over same month last year.It French Institute fashion (IFM) which launches the alarm in his last letter Conjunctural.

This falling sales spares no distributor:

-Department stores accuse thus decline sales 7% by value in September versus the same period 2010

-Chains saw sales backward 10%

-Downward turnover is 12% for independent multibrand and 14% Monoprix.

Chez Monoprix we confirms that "weather unfavorable impacted sales" but also justifies this bad news by that September 2010 compared, was excellent months "sales had then effectively climbed 7% "says we the distributor.Postponement a commercial operation christened "The nine days», held last year September but is programmed this year straddling September and October has perhaps helped falling sales recognizes we also Monoprix payday advance lender.

Worst September long …

Side independents multibrand, falling sales was certainly 12% September but segment lingerie posted according IFM the best resistance (+0.3% in value in September).

All distributors confused, sales had started marking time soon summer balances was disappointing for distributors.During the period January-August 2011, they had already declined by 1.7% in value over the same period last year.

The downward trend has clearly intensified in September, which is the worst for the industry for a long time: according to the IFM, clothing sales in France had indeed increased 2% in 2010, which was a good year, after falling 8% in 2009. But climbed 1.2% 2008 and even 8.3% in 2007.

The outlook for the month of October are not provided completely obscured: true, according to Franck Delpal, an economist at the IFM, a slight improvement in weather clothing is not excluded in October, with relapse of temperatures .


Oct 05 2011

Crisis: central bank worried

Tag: Uncategorized, economics, economy, opinions, publicationsadmin @ 7:32 am

The CAC 40 lost more than 2% at the close, Wall Street sells more than 1% during the session. The atmosphere is clearly not looking good in the financial markets on Tuesday. The bosses of U.S. and European central banks did nothing to calm them.

Two days before his last conference as president of the ECB, Jean-Claude Trichet is pessimistic for the euro area. "We believe that the euro area will be very moderate in the second half," said one who will be replaced by Mario Draghi on November 1. As for inflation, he said that the rate should remain "above 2% in the coming months. Next year, it should fall below. " These are all signs that suggest that interest rates should remain unchanged Thursday.

As for the United States, the head of the central bank, Ben Bernanke is more optimistic."Recent indicators, including those of new jobless claims show that it is likely that the sluggish growth in employment continues in the coming period," he warned. Before the Joint Economic Committee of Congress, the Fed chairman has urged politicians to "avoid taking fiscal measures may impede the ongoing economic recovery business


Sep 26 2011

Week crucial for Greece

Tag: features, finance, international, money, specialadmin @ 9:32 am

A new week high voltage for Greece and the euro area. In fact, Sunday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that a delegation will travel to Athens this week to determine whether or not the country can benefit from the sixth round of eight billion euros of the loan in May 2010 , aid became vital for the country. The CEO of the institution, Christine Lagarde, has indeed met the Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos on Sunday to discuss the conditions for the return of the IMF in the country to complete the fifth audit of the Greek economic program. The mission "will certainly place this week," said Fund.

In parallel, Evangelos Venizelos, the Greek finance minister, yesterday met with Jean-Claude Trichet, head of the ECB, to negotiate a restructuring of the Greek debt at a discount of between 40% and 50%.The minister said that "there is no alternative to restructuring." He said at the annual meeting of the Institute of International Finance (IIF), an association of 450 banks in the world: "We are ready to take the necessary whatever the political cost." And said it was confident about the outcome of the vote in parliament of the new austerity plan, condition of the granting of new loans of the troika, because according to him "which member will take responsibility to lead Greece to a default? ".

Germany mobilized

A view shared by the French Minister for European Affairs, Jean Leonetti, who said Sunday that "Greece will avoid bankruptcy because it is the interest of the Greek state, the Greek people and is the interest of us all.If Greece were to fail tomorrow, it would cost more than if it did not go bankrupt, "he said on Radio France International business card.

The Heads of State and Government in July found an agreement to rescue Greece and broaden the scope of intervention of the relief fund of the zone (EFSF), including providing it with an instrument enabling it to market purchases of debt of states in difficulty. This agreement is being ratified by 17 national parliaments in the area. The vote of Germany, the country is the biggest contributor to EU aid plans appear on track.In a television interview Sunday night, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has indeed shown the outcome of the confidence vote scheduled Thursday in the Bundestag.

In addition, the German Chancellor said that allowing Greece to fail would destroy investor confidence in the euro area and could cause infection comparable to that following the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008.

The rising social discontent in Greece

But Greece will probably have to wait beyond the holding of a Eurogroup meeting on Oct. 3 before a decision on the release of the next tranche of aid."Given the delay by the Troika mission (IMF, ECB and European Commission), I do not think that the next meeting of the Eurogroup, October 3, a decision on the sixth installment," said Sunday Washington Deputy German Finance Minister, Jörg Asmussen

In addition, the rising social discontent in Greece. Further strikes are planned next week before a general strike on October 19.

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Sep 24 2011

U.S. funds flee European banks

Tag: economic, economy, features, international, moneyadmin @ 11:00 pm

The crisis of confidence in the European banking sector will not work out. While Europe is trying to convince the world of the soundness of its banks in the current crisis, the major U.S. money market funds prefer to leave the ship. A study published Friday by the rating agency Fitch Ratings, the top ten overseas funds have massively reduced their exposure to European banks. They thus cut their dollar investments in European banking shares by 8% in August, after a fall of 9% in July. Since late May, their exhibit was planed by 27% guaranteed high risk personal loans.

Today, European banking shares held by ten U.S. funds represent 676 billion dollars, or 42.1% of their overall portfolio. These investments still weighed 47.2% in late July."Reducing exposure to leading European banks is largely offset by increased investment in financial institutions in Australia, Canada, Japan and Scandinavia," said Robert Grossman, an official of Fitch Ratings.

Some European countries are more affected than others by the flight of U.S. investment.


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